Present day GPS devices use cellular or satellite networks to send and receive data. Each of these GPS devices are designed or programmed specifically for a manufacturer's cellular or satellite network. Due to this restriction, they have a higher overall cost of operation. These systems do not search for and utilize available wireless local area networks, i.e., 802.11, that may be in range, particularly when moving.
Wi-Fi Access Points or Hot Spots that provide wireless local area networks are designed for generally stationary devices and do not provide reasonable and reliable accessibility for connected devices moving at a velocity that will soon take them out of range of the network. Such networks do not typically allow for devices that roam from one Wi-Fi network access point to another and maintain nearly seamless network connectivity. Current Wi-Fi networks do not take active steps to disassociate an existing Wi-Fi connection as they are designed to facilitate re-connection when a device is restarted after being turned off. This allows existing Wi-Fi networks to keep an association with a device current as opposed to expired.
In addition, Wi-Fi network access points or hot spots have to go through an authentication and negotiation process when reconnecting. Such authentication and negotiation can typically take up to 45 seconds or 1 minute. If a device is moving, it can move out of range of the Wi-Fi network access point or hot spot within seconds depending on its velocity—speed and direction. If the authentication and negotiation can take up to a minute, a device can be out of range of a Wi-Fi access point or hot spot before it is even connected.
Accordingly, there is a need for a GPS ready mobile device that is capable of searching for and utilizing wireless local area networks for the sending and receiving of GPS data and other information. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides other related advantages.